This invention relates generally to apparatus for mounting and interconnecting telephone cables and the like at a terminal connection point.
In modern commercial or industrial key telephone systems and like electrical wiring installations, individual terminal interconnecting points are necessary. At these interconnecting points, a number of wires leading in cable form from a telephone central office can be individually connected to wires coming from a number of individual telephone sets or other equipment. Since several hundred or more wires may be routed to the interconnecting point, apparatus must be provided there which permits electrical wire interconnection in a straightforward and inexpensive manner.
At present, a number of apparatus systems are offered to provide these interconnections. Some such systems are formed of wooden parts and are more or less hand-crafted for use at each individual interconnecting point. Such apparatus is relatively expensive and may necessitate interconnection of wires in a somewhat haphazard or illogical manner.
Other systems provide a backboard member, which may be formed of wood, plastic or other material and which is adapted to be mounted to a building wall or other platform. An elongated bridge-like mount member is then secured to the backboard, and upon the mount is attached a terminal connecting block. The necessary cables are then threaded through the mount ends. Individual wires comprising each cable are thereafter threaded through slots in the mount sides and up to the connecting block itself. As a practical matter, the backboards, mounts and cable-guiding devices, called distributing posts, are supplied as one or more preassembled units to the telephone cable installer.
It is the general object of the present invention to provide improved terminal connecting point connection apparatus of more versatile design and less expensive cost.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide apparatus for terminal connecting points which requires only a minimum inventory of parts to provide a maximum of completed interconnecting point configurations.
It is another object to provide a terminal block connecting point backboard and associated parts which can accommodate a variety of connecting blocks of various dimensional lengths and wire-accepting capacities.
Yet another object is to provide terminal interconnecting point apparatus which utilizes individualized brackets and eliminates the above-described mount member. A related object is to provide such brackets which are adapted for connection to the connecting block and the backboard at spaced apart points, thereby maximizing the amount of wire routing room underneath the connecting block and above the backboard. Another related object is to simplify the routing of cables and individual wires coming to the terminal point, and to make easier the connection of the wire ends to the connecting block itself. An ancillary object is to provide apparatus which permits the terminal connecting block to be easily lifted from the brackets, thereby making it easy to correct or change wire terminal connections.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a number of distributing rings or wiring guide posts which are especially adapted for use with the backboard.
A further object of the invention is to provide terminal connecting point apparatus which will permit the cable installer to lay cable over the backboard and then fan out the cable-constituent individual wires before the connecting block is secured in plce upon the backboard. In this manner, cable and wires can be preliminarily positioned with a maximum of ease and a minimum of time and effort.
A still further object is to provide a terminal connecting point apparatus which permits installation of the above-described brackets and/or distributing posts by the telephone installer himself as he works at the on-site terminal interconnecting point.
Yet another object is to provide terminal interconnecting point apparatus which permits installation of the brackets and/or distributing posts upon the backboard by addressing the backboard from one side only. A related object is to provide brackets and distributing posts for use with a backboard which eliminate the need for access to the reverse side of the backboard when installing the posts or brackets. Another related object is to provide posts and brackets which are sturdy in design, and which resist inadvertent breakage or disassembly from their installed points upon the backboard.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the description, like reference numerals refer to like parts.